New process for removing air and packaging an object, compressing the packaging material from the outside with external pressure rather than a vacuum

Abstract

This invention is a novel process for skin packaging, and is an addition to the usual vacuum packaging processes. Instead of the skin being pushed down on to the object being sealed, by atmospheric air pressure created by a partial vacuum under the skin, it is instead pushed down on the object being sealed by increased external pressure. Both use the same difference between the outer air pressure and the inner air pressure. This difference in how the pressure differences are obtained, however, changes many of the procedures, and some of the results. There are many new opportunities opened up by this new process that can only be determined by further studies and experimentation. Some of the advantages of my process are: In the continuous tube packaging process there is no need to have a vacuum cavity or vacuum tubes. You simply apply pressure on the top with a hard platen underneath, seal the end, remove the pressure, flow the next package through and repeat. When sealing semi-rigid containers you do not have to insert and remove the vacuuming tubes or vacuuming container as you do with the vacuuming process. It also makes possible the use of re-sealable bags which can later be opened without destroying the packaging.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A process of skin packaging, where the pressure difference necessary to press the packaging material down on the packed material is produced by positive pressure from outside of the package, rather than reducing the pressure inside the package. 
 a. The process defined in  claim 1 , where the process is skin packaging such as a continuous tube, situations where ordinarily vacuum is currently used to expel the air between the flexible layer and the article that is to be sealed is replaced by a pressure process; where you can simply press the air out and seal the tube and flow to the next package; and there are a number of ways to produces the pressure greater than atmospheric, such as a non-stretchable container may be placed over the object and packaging with the continuous tube sealed on one side from the previous item and not sealed where it surrounds the new item, and the packaging is pressed onto the item by increase in the container pressure sealed and then the pressure container opened; and where it is also possible to apply pressure mechanically with a flexible container, but the seal will not be as good as with air pressure.    b. The process defined in  claim 1 , where the package is within a preformed fairly rigid cavity, and is to be sealed at the top with a flexible membrane, and the pressure difference is produced from the outside with a compressed gas, in an outer container.    c. The process defined in  claim 1 , for “soft packaging”, where the object is easily compressible, but easily damaged, and requires no vacuuming tube, only external pressure from a surrounding container.    d. The process defined in  claim 1 , where the inner bag is open but sealable with a ziploc or similar closure, which requires no vacuum tube that has to be removed as you seal the container, only a temporary seal at the opening.